Flying-machine.



F. WELS.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. II. 1913.

1,154,466 Patented Sept. 21, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

c ivw/I II fbc F. WELS.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11,1913.

1,15%,466. Patented Sept. 21, 1914 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F. WELS.

FLYING MACHINh.

APPLICATIOK FILED FEB. 11, 1913.

Pineiiied Sept. 21, 1915 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

n MM/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

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specificationof Letters Fatent.

PatentedSept. 21, 1915.

Application filed- Ilebruary 11, 1818. Serial No. 747,776.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Fimnz WnLs, asubjeet of the Emperor of Austria-Hun ary, residing at Vienna, Empire of Austriaungary, have invented'certain new anduseful Improvements in Flving-Maohines; and- I do hereby declare the following. to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to flying machines and is based on the idea that a flying machine actuated by the reciprocating movement of win s can be operated in a manner resembling t ie fli ht of birds only if at any moment of the light the apparatus is automatically maintained in equilibrium, that is to say, that no particular power need be exerted by the pi ot or by the motor for keeping the wings in the position of e uilibrium. For scouring this state of equili rium the weight of the load rests on or is suspended from transmission elements mounted in the frame of the flying machine which transmit the action of the said weight on the wings in such a manner that this weight tends to turn the wingsin a direction opposite to that in which the resistance of air actingon the underside of the wings tends to turn them. Moreover these transmission elements are so constructed and arranged that by suitably actuating. them either h' the muscular power of the pilot or by the motor the movements required for the raising, the forward movement and the steering are imparted to the wings.

In thepartly diagrammatical drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly section on the line AB, of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a )lan view. Fig. 3 is a front elevation and Fig. 4 a persmctive view of one construetional form the apparatus embodyinrgthe invention shown by way of eimrnple. 1g. 5

' illustrates a detaih Figs. 0 to,8 show modilications of the flying machine embodying my invention.

In the upper front portion 2, Figs. 1 too, of the frame 1 which. in its lower 'portion is provided with runners on it may. also be with running wheels, a shaft l'l is mounted which in the horizontal flight of theapparatus is itself 'horizontal, and the frame win is 6 of any suitable shape and curvature are coated symmetricall 1n. the frame and are mounted to rock on t e sh'aft'bl In the front part or bow of the frame 1 two lovers 7, S'are provided each of them beingadapted-to turn around an axis 9 and 10 respectively fixed in the frame, each of such-levers carrying lateral studs 16, 1'? connectedby links, ropes or the like 11,12, to the wings at points on the latter which are located on opposite sides of and symmetrically to the shaft 5 so that when the levers 7,8 are simultaneously moved in opposite directions both of them act through the medium of the. elements 11,-12 on the wings 6 toturn. the latter around shaft 5 in the same direction. Ofthe two lovers the one (7) constitutes a two armed, the other (8) a one armed lever. The rear end of the lever 7 carries,as showrr, a yoke 13 on which act the hands of the pilot and the rear end of the lever 8 carries treadies 14: for the feet of this gilot'to rest upon and a seat 15 for the i ot. p If the connections '11 12 between the levers 7,- S and the wings consist of links, universal joints are used but if, as shown in the drawing, the connection is brought about b ,ropes, wires or chains, such ropes or the h e are preferably led from the studs 16 throu eyes on the win 5 to the studs '17.- Hit is condition is an lled the links 11,,l2'ma also be attached to different oints of't e wings-in the direction of their on or width' and the simultaneous strokes of t e levers? and 8 may be different. Let it be assumed that'th'e wings are inclined upward, and'outward as they are when at res'ton the ground'or at certain moments during fiigh-t. If now the ilot, catching hold of the yoke 13 with his lands and putting his feet on' the treadles 14 stretches liil nsiflf, raising himself, of course, from the seat llS'the two lovers 7, 8 wiliturn in the frame simultaneously in opposite directions and conseisuently' the wings (i will he turned by both overs through the medium of th'e elements 11, 12 in the same direction, that is to say, downward, whereby the apparatus t receives an" upwardly directed impulse, In, this movement the center of gravity of the 'pilot' does'not change its positionr 6 return niovement'of' the win s is br'ough aboutkb merely relaxin tie muscular eiiertion" zstretching) as luring flight the, wings are always subjected to glyes arefi m below owing'to the upwardly rected' reslst'ance of t 'ej'aii'. In the downward" movement of thewings the whole 13 these-will be moved toa' greater extent I through the medium of the elements 11, 12

system receives two impulses of motion, one of which directly overcoming gravity represents acon'iponent of upward movement, while the other is in the'horizontal direc tion of movement. In the return or upward movement of the wings the system which is under the action of inertia will retain its forward movement.

It is obvious that at every, moment the weight of the pilot acts upon the wings and tends to turn them downward, so that the pilot need not make any special exertion for overcoming the air pressure acting on the wings from below and tending to turn them upward (that is to say need not perform any floating work) but has to ex ert only that power which is required for bringing about the rocking movement of the wings. Applicant concludes from ex periments made by him that the exertion of power is not too great owing to the leverage which has to be selected according to the length and area ofthe Wings so that the wings may be operated by any person of normal constitution without undue effort. More particularly with very long wings an almost effortless floating is possible.

During flight the resistance of the air acting on the wings prevents a too rapid sinking. The pilot may accelerate the moveother.

'to turn on the lever 8 or by ment of the levers 7 and 8 toward each other and hence also the rising of the apparatus by the power of his muscles and thus cause the flying machine to rise or sink by a more rapid or a slower succession respectively of the movements of the levers 7 and 8.

The lateral steering is insured according to this invention by making the troke of one wing greater'or smaller than t at of the For this purpose the points of attachment of the elements 11 and 12 are arranged on the studs 16, 17 which are adapted to turn around the longitudinal axes of the levers 7 and 8. This may be done for instance by securing the studs 17 on a sleeve 19 carrying also the treadles 14 and adapted securing the studs 16 to the lever 7 and 1ournaling this lever on a pin 18 secured to the axis 9 and engaging a longitudinal hole in the lever 7 as shown in Fig. 5. Instead of a sin le lever 7 a. pair of levers may be provi ed in such a manner that either both ofsuch le- I or the other lever is rocked to a greater exin its operation.

vers are rocked to the same extent, or that the other arm and leg of the pilot, the one tent than the other, so that thereby the one or the other wing is accelerated or retarded When the right foot and the right hand of the pilot act more forcibly a ainstthe corresponding 'treadle and arm 0 the yoke than those on the opposite side, the studs 16 and 17 being turned to correspond. The right wing G'strikes downward more vigorously than the left one and thus the forward movenu-mt on the right hand side will exceed that on the left hand side so that the flying machine will turn to the left. A rudder for vertical steering resembling a birds tail may be mounted in a suitable manner and position on the frame or saddle as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 by way'of example. The hereinbefore described flying machine may also be operated by a' plurality of persons seated side by side or the one behind the other operating the same levers 7 and 8 or separate levers. The wings may a. plurality of pairs of wings might be mounted on the same shafts.

Also two or more )ersons in the flying machine might operate one foot or hand lever or one treadle might be provided for each foot of the pilot, such treadle acting through the medium of suitable transmission elements on the wings; this also permits to impart different strokes to the two ngs of each pair. In the modification s n Fig. 7 the foot levers 19 serving "to operating the wings 6 are not directly fulc'rumed in the frame but on intermediary elements, suclr as links 91 mounted in the frame 1 the ends 3 of the foot levers carrying the treadles 14: are guided in guides 92 fixed in the frame. Links 12 serve for connecting the wings with the foot levers 19. Instead of links 91 pivoted in the frame, a spring 93 might be used as shown on the left hand side of Fig. 7 having one of its ends secured to the frame while to its other end the foot lever 19 is pivoted. In this arrangement the feet of the pilot need not move along arcs of circles when depressing the treadles (as in the case when the foot levers are pivoted in the frame) but move along straight lines owing to the guide 92. Furthermore this modification permits of a much greater freedom in the arrangement of the links and levers for the purpose of obtaining the leverage desired. Differ-e s 'rokes may be imparted to or. obtaining the differ,

fjrequired for steerable load ortreadles 14. The fixed pulleys of the pulley block are supported in the frame 1 and the movable pulleys acton the wings (3. Of course the rope leading to the treadles 1-} may pass over guide rollers 95. The two treadles 14 may be secured to a rod connecting the free ends of the ropes of the pulley blocks or they may be arranged as shown at t o for avoiding dangling, or the treadles may he guided each separately parallel to arch other. The return or upward movement of the wings may be facilitated by springs as indicated at 97. This applies also to all the modifications hereinhefore set forth. Of course any kind of pul' ley blocks may he used (ordinary Archimedian, ditl'erential pulley blocks and other-s). Further the above explained modes of operation may also be applied to the hand levers. Instead of levers and pulleys block connections. other gears, such as toothed segments. wedges and screws, hydraulic gears electric transmission, etc., might be used.

Claims:

1. in a flying machine the combination of a frame: wings fulcrumed on the frame; levers fulcrumed on the frame; and means connecting said levers and wings, and the points of connection of said means being on opposite sides of said lever fulcrums, substantially as described.

2. In a flying machine the combination of a frame; wings fulcrumed on the frame; a lever fulcrumed on the frame; a saddle mounted on said lever; a hand operated lever fulcrumed on the frame at a point above the fulcrum of the first named lever; and means connecting said levers ,and wings, and the poiri'ts of connection of said means being on opposite sides of said lever fulcrums;

substantially as described.

In a flying machine the combination of a frame, rocking wings, two levers fulcrumed in the frame, studs projecting laterally from such levers and adapted to turn around the longitudinal axes of such levers, means for connecting such studs t0 the wings whereby simultaneoui. movements of the two levers in opposite directions act to move the wings in the same direction.

In testimony whereof, I afiiX my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

FRANZ VELS.

"Witnesses A irri 1 v1: BAUMANSBURG, Auous'r FUGGER. 

